


His Biggest Regret: Butterflies

by PolkaDotDragon



Series: Regrets Undone [2]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: F/F, I didn't mean to ship this, Now I totally do, POV Elia Martell, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-24 00:03:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15617961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PolkaDotDragon/pseuds/PolkaDotDragon
Summary: When a butterfly flaps it's wings...Side-fics for His Biggest Regret (Not all necessarily part of the same continuity)Each chapter will be separate stories about the possible effects of Jaime's time travel on the world.More tags will be added with each chapter.





	His Biggest Regret: Butterflies

Elia marveled at the soft skin beneath her hand. She never imagined her life would lead to this. Kisses like fire and sweet whispered words in the aftermath of passion. Tangled feet under covers and delicate fingers brushing through her hair. The body at Elia’s side slept soundly, the only movement the gentle movement of the chest with soft breaths. Elia had never seen such a beautiful sight as her paramour lying there bared and trusting.

She never could have dreamt this perfection of her tan hand laid against the pale skin of Lyanna Stark’s thigh.

* * *

 

When she married Rhaegar, Elia had big dreams of the partnership they would have. Rhaegar was handsome. Rhaegar was noble. Rhaegar was kind. By the end of their marriage Elia knew the truth. Rhaegar was distant. Rhaegar was naïve. Rhaegar was a fool. And so he died and nearly doomed Elia and their children at the same time. If it wasn’t for the actions of Jaime Lannister, House Targaryen would be near extinct.

When Rhaegar had passed Elia by that fateful day, laying the crown of blue roses upon Lyanna Stark’s head, Elia had hated both of them with a dark loathing that had startled her. Not that Elia was jealous of the Stark girl, Elia’s love for Rhaegar had long since faded. No it was shame that fueled her rage then, that all the houses across Westeros would look at Elia and think her inadequate. Would see Elia’s frailty and think her weak. Elia Martell was not weak and she would be no one’s fool. She resented that Rhaegar so publicly showed that Elia meant so little to him. Their failing marriage was no one else’s concern. She was a Martell. Unbowed. Unbent. Unbroken. If circumstances were different Elia would have had no problem shaming Rhaegar in kind. But when Aerys Targaryen sat upon the Iron Throne, there was little she could do. Elia had felt powerless. And there was nothing she hated more.

Not even two years later, Lyanna Stark entered the capitol tired and sick, with Rhaegar’s precious third  child in her arms. Elia’s first reaction upon introduction to the babe was a vicious satisfaction that the babe was a boy. _So much for your Visenya,_ she thought to herself, remembering Rhaegar’s quite tales of prophecy and destiny. The first spark of respect occurred when Lyanna chose to stay in King’s landing for her son, despite the despite look of longing on the northerner’s face when Winterfell was mentioned. She and Lyanna had circled each other those first moons, naught but cold winter winds between them. But as their sons grew, so did the first seeds of friendship.

* * *

 

Elia remembered finding Lyanna standing on the walls of the keep, staring out into the sky.

“They say I’m a ruined woman now” the pale woman had stated, her eyes focused on the horizon. “They say that as if it means a damn to me.” Her dark tresses blew gently in the wind. “When I turned Robert away they were horrified. They looked at me with such pity. I could hear them whispering that no man would ever have me now.They see a woman who’s alive but whose life is over.”

“Lady Lyanna” Elia started, but stopped, unsure of what to say.

“They’re blind” Lyanna said strongly before spinning around and piecing Elia with her pale grey stare. “I’ve never been more free.” A toothy grin grew on the northern woman’s face. “What use do I have for a man?” Lyanna laughed and turned her gaze back to the sea. It was near dusk and the pink hue of the setting sun reflected off of her face. Elia was enchanted.

“I never thanked you did I?” Lyanna’s voice was soft now, barely heard above the wind. “For letting me stay. It’s because of you that I live here with my son, free and unencumbered.” She paused, before continuing even softer.“Growing up Father always spoke of my future in terms of my husband. Skills I learned were measured in how appealing they might be to future suitors. He was annoyed when I spent more time on horseback than dressing up in pretty clothes. He despaired when I skipped my sewing and joined my brothers in the training field. When Robert Baratheon was determined to be my match, Father expected me to be happy. ‘Here is a man who does not mind you unladylike behaviors’ he said. Father never understood that it wasn’t enough.I met Robert back then and all I saw was another cage. I ran with Rhaegar seeking freedom and found only more binds. I can’t regret birthing Jon, but it wasn’t what I wanted. After the war, all anyone spoke to me of was who might marry me. All but you.” She turned back to Elia once more. “Thank you,” Lyanna stated again, “for letting me be free.”

Elia gazed upon this woman, fierce and beautifully wild, and wondered at the stupidity of man, that they would try to tame her. But Elia knew better. She was a Martell. She liked her women unbowed, unbent, and unbroken.

Elia smiled, and took Lyanna’s hand. “Pity any man that tried to tame us or cage us, for women like us are not meant to be tamed.”

* * *

 From there the two women fell into the habit of going on walks in the evening and talking. For Elia, it was sweet relief to talk without having to worry about what she said or how she said it. Lyanna cared little for politics and abhorred courtly conversation. The two quickly began taking meals together and soon it was said that Princess-Regent Elia was hardly seen without Lyanna Stark when she was not presiding on the throne or in meetings with the small council. Royal Guard Captain Jaime Lannister was often their shadow and if one caught him in an unguarded moment a soft smile would be seen upon his features as he looked at the two walking side by side.

When they first kissed, Elia would not describe it as a sudden or surprising event, but as a slow sweet culmination of all the words and looks shared over many moons. When they took each other to bed, Elia nearly cried for she had never known what it truly meant to make love to another. Their actions weren’t functional or cold, but fueled by passion, caring, and trust.

* * *

Lyanna began to stir, her grey eyes fluttering open. Her gaze focused upon Elia and she lips pulled into a soft smile. Elia had seen many of Lyanna’s smiles over the years. The wide smile with way too many teeth when Lyanna had to talk with members of the court she didn't like. The toothy grin when she was planning mischief or playing with Jon. The wistful pull of lips when talking of Winterfell. But this smile, soft and gentle, was reserved just for Elia, in those sweet mornings lying in bed together, bare skin against bare skin.

“Good Morning Sun” the northerner says quietly. It is not the sky she is looking at while she states these words, but the woman lying next to her.

“Good Morning love” Elia replies. The only movement is a  gentle breeze flowing in, the sheer silk curtains rolling in the wind. _There is a stillness to moments like this,_ Elia thinks to herself, _where the rest of the world is frozen and all there is is her and I._

**Author's Note:**

> When I started His Biggest Regret I intended the story to be Jaime/Brienne and then later changed my mind to Jaime/Elia... yet this is what I wrote. Whoops xD I may still write some fics for this that are Jaime/Brienne and/or Jaime/Elia. 
> 
> I know this is probably not what you all were looking for in a sequel but I hope you enjoyed it anyways! There will be more to come in this series. I do have more plot-focused ones in mind. Let me know what else you'd like to see!


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